1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel N.sup.4 -phenoxyalkanoylsulfanilamides and herbicidal composition containing at least one of said compounds in an amount sufficient for exhibiting the herbicidal activity. More particularly, it is concerned with N.sup.4 -phenoxyalkanoylsulfanilamides of the formula: ##STR2## (wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represents hydrogen, halogen, nitro or lower alkyl, R.sup.5 represents hydrogen or lower alkyl, and R.sup.6 represents hydrogen, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkanoyl or carbamoyl) and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, and herbicidal compositions containing at least one of said N.sup.4 -phenoxyalkanoylsulfanilamides.
In the definition of the above formula (I), the terms herein used are illustrated as follows:
Lower alkyl means C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, pentyl, isopentyl and sec-pentyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl means C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkoxycarbonyl such as methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, propoxycarbonyl, butoxycarbonyl and pentyloxycarbonyl, lower alkanoyl means C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkanoyl such as formyl, acetyl, propionyl, butyryl and valeryl, halogen means chlorine, iodine, bromine and fluorine, alkali metal means lithium, sodium and potassium; and alkaline earth metal means magnesium, calcium and barium.
The most preferred compounds among the above include those having the formula: ##STR3## (wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 each has the same significance as defined above) and sodium or potassium salts thereof, from a practical point of view which will be discussed later.